darth vader

it's not halloween but that doesn't mean we don't dress up...daily. just the other day jace went from a cowboy to a pirate to a soccer player to darth vader all in one morning. (and can i add that i can't wait to add princess dresses and other girly things to our costume box!)

we found this little treasure at walmart in their 90% off basket a week after halloween. not sure how it was still there. it was one among about 6 costumes - 1 infant monkey, a few toddler ninja and 1 size 4-6 darth vader. i think that it is the best $1.20 i have ever spent!


jace claims he is going to wear it every day and every night except to church. and he's done a pretty good job so far.

i love this kid so much...


and so does his sister.


he is such a great big brother and only occasionally torments his little sister. most of the time he is trying to get her to laugh. she watches his every move and squeals with delight when he is around. she always wants to play with his toys and do what he's doing.


it's too bad they have to grow up.


p.s. we are loving this 70 degree weather in november!

1000 words

if a picture is worth a 1000 words, this picture says it all. this is what jace's summer was. laughter, friends, and pure joy.

jared's cousin and her boys were here for the summer and we couldn't have had more fun with them. the 3 amigos (all nine months apart) played long and hard. they went on wild adventures together. they bonded. it was a sad day when they left for their new home. jace has been counting down the days 'til we see them again ever since.

jedi training

for jace's birthday this year we did a little jedi training. our star wars obsessed little boy had been planning it for months. each boy had their own jedi robe and light saber. they went through an obstacle course, nerf-gunned some storm troopers and destroyed the death star pinata. they ended the night with cupcakes and yoda soda.

as for presents (from family and friends): star wars legos, star wars sticker book, star wars shirt, star wars darth vader, you get the point. he loves star wars.

he did get a non-star wars bike which he was excited about also. it's green - his favorite color. he continues to be our cautious little guy and will not go very fast on it. it takes awhile for us to go anywhere on his bike but he loves having one.

photography

i just read a blog post by mandi tremayne at mcp actions that has perfectly put into words what i have been feeling for awhile.

i love photography. i love to take beautiful pictures of my kids. i love to learn and grow and develop my talent. i'm completely flattered when someone likes my pictures. but i'm not a "professional photographer" nor do i think i'm good enough to be one.

this is my hobby. something that i really enjoy doing. something i can easily do while being a mom. something that i want to be better at. but not something i want to make into a business.

"the journey of learning, the fun of taking our camera everywhere we go, snapping those one in a million shots of our kids, and the newfound love for things we used to ignore like a beautiful sky or the gorgeous lighting that sunset offers, is more than enough."

i have been struggling with the whole "going pro" issue. people telling me i should charge, lots of other "photographers" are doing it (some better than me, some not), to help pay for my hobby. i meant it as a hobby and i want to keep it that way. for me, making it into a business would add a lot of stress and take away the enjoyment of creating.

i realized that i have stopped taking pictures. my camera sat in my closet the past few months except to take pictures for other people. there wasn't much joy in photography for me anymore. too many expectations and too much pressure. and not enough pictures of my family.

so, after reading this and deciding that i'm okay with being a "hobbyist photographer" i pulled my camera out this afternoon and took a ton of pictures of my kids. no expectations. no pressure. pure enjoyment. and i took some really good pictures and a few bad pictures. and i loved it!

i especially love what she said about spending money on photography (just like any other hobby, ahem, golf):

"I feel like I can buy things for myself, here and there- a new lens, actions, and so forth, because it’s my hobby, and it’s something I care deeply about. Like any hobby, you can put money into something without strings attached that you must recoup what you’ve spent. Why? The fun I’ve had learning, plus the learning I know I still have to go, makes the journey completely worth it."

and now i think i am finally at peace. i can truly enjoy photography and i can continue to learn and get better and not make a single penny if i don't want to. it's my hobby and i love it!

*p.s. this is written purely from my own feelings about me. it does not reflect how i feel about other photographers. i know plenty of photographers trying to make it into a business and i say go for it! good luck! and i truly hope you succeed. it's just not for me.

i definitely qualify for the worst blogger ever award! i have lots to blog about but, you know, life happens. maybe i will get to it this week. until then, a few pictures from halloween (which was windy, rainy and cold).

a pink poodle and a pirate